The Inuyoukai of the North
by AnOccasionlyWriter
Summary: Yuzuko, an inuyoukai, wanders wishing to remain unmated and independent. After being helped by a strange group of travelers she joins them and is destined to cross paths with the DaiInuYoukai of the West. Surprisingly, her beast urges her to him, feeling an undeniable pull like she's never felt before. Can she fight it and remain independent? SesshomaruXOC 1st story in a long time
1. An Introduction

**Okay, so I have actually changed a lot of thing that I realized weren't the way I wanted them. So here is the new chapter one! There is a chance that I'm going to change the title of this story sometime but I can't think of a good enough title! .**

**By the way, this story will probably be jumping around from third person point of view and first person point of view. Really, this story is the first I have written in a VERY LONG time. So bear with me as I brush up and improve on my skills as a writer. Constructive criticism is always welcome =)**

**I have yet to decide if this will take place after the series ended or start right before the Final Act. So this chapter is just a taste of what I'm working on. I probably won't update right away, as I want to get a little bit farther on my planning and like I said, I haven't decided when it starts just yet. I also need to brush up on the world of Inuyasha too. **

**So enjoy the preview!~**

**Overall disclaimer for all chapters: I do not own Inuyasha**

* * *

A light breeze drifted through the green leaves on the surrounding trees, light streams of sunlight filtered through weakly. Sighing, I leaned closer against the roots of the tree I sat beneath, pressing my back into the warm spot my body heat left on the trunk. The damp early morning air left dew on everything it touched, myself included. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes with my cold palms, my body begged for my wake-up stretch.

"Hmmm…" Deep amber eyes lightly scanned the surrounding area for any nearby threats. Really, I knew this was unnecessary. As always in the forest, picking a place to have a real sleep in was a vital task, to be done carefully. However, this task was never too hard for me to do. A youkai at my level of strength need not worry of the ordinary demons that hid in the forest. Nevertheless, I always picked a safe spot to rest my body when I needed. Just because on area is safe when you settle in it doesn't mean it always remains so.

My keen demon senses were much higher than that of a human's. They easily told me that there was no threats nearby. My eyes landed on the dog laying close to my feet. Curled tightly in a ball was my young grey and white inuyoukai, Hige, my companion. He quietly slept in a light slumber that would be easy to snap out of quickly if needed. Hige always chose to rest by my feet, which currently had my short mokomoko wrapped around them. I imagine my travel companion felt the most comfortable by my feet. It was close enough to be able to spring forth to protect me while I slept while at the same time close enough to feel safe while he truly slept and I could in turn quickly jump to protect him.

Hige was not the same type of inuyoukai as I was. He was born as one of the lesser demons that loyally followers our clan. He did not have a humanoid form like I did, though he still had two forms. There was his usual form; a small, normal looking light grey Hokkaido Inu with white feet and chest. Unusual coloring for the breed, but Hige was truly a demon so it did not matter. Hige's other form was his true form, his demon form.

Hige's true form was larger than an Asian elephant with red eyes of a demon. This was bigger than the size of what my pups would be but still smaller than my own true form. His fur became completely dark grey except his feet that looked like socks upon his paws. The tips of his perky ears slightly slopped and he gained navy blue markings. The fur of his curly tail grew out longer, looking similar to a papillon's tail. Small balls of deep blue fire surrounded his coat in random spots. When he flew in the air, those flames carried him beneath his paws.

When I separated from my pack nearly fifty years ago my plans where to travel alone. Fate had decided otherwise. One of my Mother's loyal inuyoukai birthed a litter no long before my decision and I had spent much time with her and her pups. In the litter of five resided one very small puppy. No one was sure this puppy was going to make it past the first days after birth. This runt though, he showed much vigor. He always fought his siblings for his place to drink from his mother's tits and was even the first to open his eyes. Though he grew slowly, he grew strong. Months passed and once it was long enough to not fear his death from being so small he was named Hige. I had personally invested some of my time to help take care of the puppy and soon he was following me everywhere. No matter what I did I simply could not shake him off! But Hige was so freaking adorable that I didn't mind. It was hard not to squeal and pick him up every time I looked at him.

When he became strong enough to transform into his more hidden state his cuteness just intensified. Hige's usual form was perpetually a puppy for many years and _he was so damn cute! _Like honestly, those big puppy eyes and the cute lop-sided smile the babe always wore with his tongue hanging out was just too much.

Eventually, when I came to the decision to leave, Hige was the only member of my pack I considered to bring along. Despite being born runt of his litter, he was resilient and a formable foe. Most worthy to be a descendant of my clan. He could fly through the air and cut down an opponent faster than most and was valuable for long distance traveling.

You see, I was not born with the ability to fly like most inuyoukai. This was typical of my clan members. Unlike many other inuyoukai clans, mine lacked air travel in their genes. However, for the lack of air travel, we are extremely fast on foot. In fact, I am the fastest (even if some might try to disagree.) At a young age I was able to out run many of the older members of my pack.

I did not mind traveling by foot but sometimes it was nice to ride Hige's back and fly across vast distances in short amounts of time. Hige has become such a close companion who I could not ever consider to leave behind. He was as loyal as any dog and always could place a smile on me.

"Wake up puppy-dog," I gently shook him and he stirred to life. Unwrapping my mokomoko from my legs, we stood and breathed the damp air and stretched. Both of us finished in a downward facing dog position. I glanced over at Hige, catching his eye. "Waddya say Hige? Shall we find something to eat?" Hige yipped, agreeing with me. Shooting up, the hunt began.

"Oh dear Kami…" I grumbled, how the fuck did shit like this happen to me?

Okay, so my hunt did not turn out as planned. I struggled to move my limbs against the thicken mud that entrapped me from the shoulders down. Well shit…

How did I end up in a perfect circle of mud, one may ask, barely big enough for me to move? Well…

I swear my hunt was going magnificent. Not to brag or anything, but I'm pretty much a great hunter and with my acute senses finding prey was not hard. I mean, I'm strong. I got this shit. And things were going _great._ Until they… weren't. Really though, Hige and I bounded off into different directions, following our noses and ears towards breakfast. Barely making any nose against the dirt ground and moving agility, the grumbling in my stomach was coming to a close end.

But somehow… well fuck, how was I supposed to know that the stupid, may I add _puny, _golfer demon had magic? That's not supposed to happen! What the hell?

God yes he was easy to catch but I yearned for a little fun. If I knew my small game of cat and mouse would result in me trapped shoulders down, head to toe covered in mud I probably wouldn't have… well… _Mother always said not to play with your food…_

Oh dear Kami, I feel so _dumb_. How fucking stupid am I really? I fell for that stupid golfer demons feeble magic trick and now I'm stuck in solidifying mud while my breakfast runs free.

Color drained from my face. Of course no one could see it, my face being caked in _mud_. There's no way I can ever tell anybody about this EVER. _I can't even move. _I felt myself winning.

_**You should have just eaten him the moment he was in your claws. **_The voice of my Inner Beast chided in the back of my mind. _**Fast and easy. Satisfying.**_ She always showed up when she was unwanted.

_Shut up, Okuzuy! _God damn, I do not need my Inner Beast trouble right now. Her only thoughts were ever primal, straight to the point, and _useless._

_**I am not useless you bitch. If it wasn't for me you've had die a long time ago! **_The husky voice retorted to my thoughts.

Whatever. Okuzuy, as I like to call my Inner Beast, and I did not see eye to eye on most subjects. Usually we only argued unless I was in battle with an opponent.

_Not even! _I argued internally, feeling my face scrunch up. I am most certainly a skillful fighter and did not rely solely on my Inner Beast to win my battles. Primal instinct, yes that's handy, but not my Inner Beast. They are different. One didn't talk back.

_**We're the same thing, dumbass! I AM your primal instinct. And look at you now, stuck in a hole. Dumbass! **_I could feel Okuzuy urging me to turn in my true form to free myself from the ground.

_Oh hell no, I can get out of this myself._ I pushed her back, feeling the snarl emitted from both of ourselves.

_**Turing into your true form IS getting out by using YOURSELF! **_Okuzuy yelled back. Oh god, it's totally not. Okay, _yes, _that'd work but I bet I can get out another way.

_Shut up! _Snapping back, Okuzuy fell silent. Probably content to let me remained trapped until I gave in to logic. She'd rather just watch me suffer, stupid bitch. I don't need to turn just to get out. I just… fuck that. There's another way out I'm sure. There is always another way. Though it was getting increasingly harder to move my body.

Bounding towards me across the small clearing came Hige. He was in his true form, probably had changed when he found his prey. Judging by the way he licked his chops he had a tasty breakfast. Unlike me, who hasn't eaten yet.

Having found me, his ears perked. Even in his true, demonic form Hige still smiled happily like any other puppy dog. Our empathy link allowed me to feel his excitement that we were together again. I swear, leave this dog for ten minutes and come back to him it's like we've been separated for ten years. Completely oblivious to the fact I was stuck in the ground and my entire head was coated in mud, Hige sat himself on his haunches and turned back into Puppy Hige. His tail wagged and he yipped.

"Are you kidding me," I yelled at him as he lay down wholly and licked my face. "Agh! No Hige!" He stopped wagging his tail and stared at me, cocking his head to the side. "Oh you think you're so cute." Hige yipped again and resumed wagging his tail, agreeing. He was so good at ignoring any frustration I ever felt. "You idiot! Go get me some help or something!"

Hige jumped up immediately. He glanced around and sniffed the air. Following orders, he took off into the forest. Wait a minute… oh crap. "Wait, no!" I yelled out, "I didn't mean that!" Too late. Hige was on a mission. Just great, I don't need anyone seeing me like this. And who would he find anyway? There isn't anyone out in this forest –

"Huh?" Very far off in the distance Hige leapt off too was the mixed presence of spiritual pressure and demonic aura. Hige must has felt it too, as it would seem that is what he was following. "Oh just great." What kind of mess was Hige going to bring this way? Assuming that presence wasn't dangerous and Hige didn't kill them. Though, should I wait and see if they can pry me loose? _Do I want anybody seeing me this way?_

But still. Demonic aura AND spiritual pressure? Those didn't usually mix often. I sniffed the air. Maybe I'll get to find out. Could be interesting if they choose to help out.

* * *

**So there it is! The first chapter. Hope you enjoyed the little taste of what's to come =) Sorry it's a bit short.**


	2. Stuck in the Dirt

**Here we go, chapter two!**

* * *

There in the forest a group of five walked a long dirt road. They were not what you'd consider a regular group of people that you'd expect to be hiking along the forest. They did not wear sturdy clothes you'd expect a hiker to be wearing – no jeans, hiking boots, or supply backpacks heaved heavily upon their back, carrying tents, sleeping rolls and general camping gear. No, these travelers looked like an odd group. First there was the two walking in the front of the group, a man and a woman. Both were young – well to be honest, all of the travelers looked young – and dressed in simple clothes. The woman wore simple clothing, a kimono that was pale pink which made the maroon shadow on her eye lids stand out nicely. Tied at her waist was a green apron and across her shoulders there was a light blue bundle. It was simple, commoner clothing. That was not what stood out about this young woman. What mainly brought attention to this woman was the giant boomerang shaped weapon strapped to her back. Not exactly what one would expect a common woman to be carting around.

Then there was the man walking next to her. He, too, had dark hair like the woman next to him. It was just long enough to tie a tiny ponytail at the base of his neck. All of his clothing was deep bluish purple. On this right hand was a long arm warmer that covered the palm of his hand with some type of beaded strand tried around it. In the same hand, he gripped a long brass staff. Just by looking, one could easily tell that this man was a monk.

Behind these two where another young woman and a little boy. The young woman was undeniably the most strange of the group. She looked to be younger than the woman walking in front of her, barely of the proper marrying age. She had deep brown eyes that stared boringly along the path she tread. Her arms were stretched out before her, guiding a strange pink colored two wheeled contraption. Unlike her traveling companions, she wore the oddest clothing. There was a pleated green skirt that clung to the young woman's hips, short enough to reveal most of her slender thighs and rest of her legs. If that wasn't improper enough, she also wore a white top that was long sleeved with a scarf the same shade of green as her skirt around the neck, tied with a red ribbon. And it was short – so short that the young woman could not possible lift both her arms above her head without revealing her stomach. However indecent her clothing were compared to her companions, they seemed not to pay any mind to it.

In the odd contraption the strangely dressed woman guided there was a wicker basket attached to the handles. Sitting inside was a small boy, too small to be a human boy for his age. This boy was indeed a demon child. To be precise, he was a kitsune, a fox demon. The first sign of his demon heritage was pointed ears on the sides of his head. He leaned against the side of the basket with his arms crossed over the edge and his cheek resting against them. His blue eyes were half-lidded, trying to fight off the on-coming sleep induced by boredom and drool threatened to slide out of his fanged mouth and down his chin. In the basket next to him sat a small cat demon, creamy in color with black marking and two tails. She was curled up to the young boy, napping.

Walking next to the interesting young woman was an equally interesting young man. He was unique in appearance, wearing matching red garments and no shoes. Strapped to his side was a rusty old sword. These were not the most interesting things about his appearance though. No, what caught the eye was his long white hair that flowed freely around his face; atop his head a pair of white dog ears. This one was a hanyou, a half-demon. He walked with is hands tucked into the opposite arms sleeves and his nose up in the air and closed eyes. The sunlight that peaked through the trees bounced warmly off his lightly tanned skin.

This group had been traveling together for some time now. Together they were on a mission. And that was to find the missing shards of The Secret Shikon Jewel. There had not been much sign of any shards for a few weeks now, but that could not stop them from wandering the country searching. After all, while gathering the shards was very important, they also had another mission at hand. One that was equally as important as gathering the scattered jewel shards. However, things had been quiet for a couple of weeks.

The morning was fair, the sun still warming up, had not yet burned off the overcast. Suddenly, the young woman pushing the pink contraption containing the kitsune and neko, stopped and jerked her head towards the forest to her right. She squinted her chocolate eyes, as if looking for something among the trees. The feeling she sensed inside of her body was not a foreign one. It was the sensation of a nearby Shikon Jewel shard. This young woman was a miko, a priest that could sense the jewel shards.

The young girl had felt this many times in the last couple of months and immediately recognized it when it overcame her. "Guys," She spoke up to the rest of the group, who had now stopped walking too. "I sense a jewel shard coming from somewhere in the forest."

The young man walking beside her pulled his arms from his sleeves and stepped towards her, "You sure Kagome?" The young woman, named Kagome, nodded to him.

"Yes, there is definitely one in that direction." Kagome pointed to her right. "Inuyasha," She addressed the young man who was currently smirking, his hand resting on his rusty sword, "Do you think a demon has it?"

Inuyasha scoffed, "Who cares?" He walked past her and prepared himself to jump into the trees, "I can take the shard wither way. Let's go!" Before he could take off and barking sounded through the trees. "Huh?"

Pushing though some bushes, a medium sized dog hopped onto the dirt path. The gang watched the grey and white dog as it trotted towards them, braking lightly. "A puppy?" Kagome questioned as it came to a halt before them. His brown eyes scanned everyone and landed on Inuyasha. After a moment of quietness, the pup bounded up to him and barked once.

Hige's eyes started intently at the hanyou before him before letting out another singular bark. The small kitsune jumped up,

"What do you think he wants, Inuyasha?" He questioned innocently.

"Yeah Inyasha what does he want?" Kagome followed up kitsune.

"How the hell am I spouse to know?" Angrily, Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, "I don't speak dog!" Hige barked again and nipped at Inuyasha ankles. "Hey!" He ran around Inuyasha once and then bounded off in the direction he originally came from.

Hige paused, turned, and barked once again before turning around and taking a couple more steps away.

"Hmmm," The man in the purple robes hummed, "it seems the dog wants you to follow him Inuyasha."

Inuyasha turned to the man, "What makes you think that, Miroku?" Suddenly, Hige jumped at him and barked once more and hopped back. Inuyasha paused and looked at the dog. The pup looked seeming normal, just like any dog. Yet… Inuyasha sniffed towards Hige.

"Well look at him. He's practically begging you to follow, bouncing back and forth from you and where he came from." The monk, Miroku, watched Hige as he kept hopping back and forth between Inuyasha's ankles and the bushes he emerged from. "Wouldn't you say so too, Sango?" Amusment laced his voice as he nodded towards the woman with the large boomerang. She smiled,

"Yes Inuyasha, it seems the puppy want you to follow." Inuyasha grunted towards them, knowing they were teasing him. They may not have sensed it, it would take a greater sense of smell to detect it. This "dog" was really a demon in a sealed form. Why did it beckon to Inuyasha?

"Well I don't care," Inuyasha cast aside his curiosity. "Where did you sense that jewel shard from again, Kagome?" He turned away from the sealed dog demon. This earned a growl from the Hige and he ran up to Inuyasha and nipped his ankles again. This time however he did not jump anyway, but ran circles around Inuyasha. "Get lost mutt!" Inuyasha made to kick Hige, but before he could Hige sensed it and lacked onto his foot with sharp fangs. "Ahhh! Get off!"

Hige growled relased Inuyasha and barked again and jumped back to the forest. Follow me, he seemed to say to Inuyasha, come this way. I need your help.

"Well, it's coming from the same direction that dog wants you to follow in." Kagome was not amused with the hanyou's treatment of the cute puppy dog, but she the knowledge that there was a shard nearby was more important to her. "Maybe he'll lead us directly to it?" She seemed unsure, but it was a hopeful attempt to figure out why this strange dog that appeared out of nowhere wanted Inuyasha to follow. What were the chances that this dog was going to lead them to the jewel shard anyhow?

Inuyasha grunted, "Just great. I guess I'll follow the stupid mutt." Hige stretched his lip as if smiling and barked. He turned and jumped into the trees and ran. Inuyasha launched himself into the air and began to sprint after him. "C'mon guys!"

* * *

_Dear Kami, Yuzuko._ How did I end up in situations like this? I am a demoness that minds her own god damn business… most of the time. Yet somehow I end in a mess like this. Oh yeah, I guess I was foolin' around. Playing with my food and shit. I GUESS I wasn't supposed to do that…

Currently, I was up to my neck in a hole of dirt, making it rather hard to move. It was very liquid mud before when I first landed my ass in here, but some time has passed and now it has dried up. _Just my luck. _I mean, c'mon, who knew that puny golfer demon had demonic magic?! It used its feeble magic to make a perfect circle of mud around my feet big enough for me to slip in and tight enough that I could not move. How'd I let that happen? It was so _weak_. I cannot believe I was outsmarted! By and panicking _golfer demon_, no less.

Weaklings deemed the rank of a quick meal were not clever enough to use magic! Everybody knows that. Hell, I didn't even know golfer demons had magic! Perhaps that one had picked it up from some other type of demon. _Fuuck… _I feel so stupid. Now, because I enjoyed the chase more than the meal, I was left in a tight spot. Literally.

Groaning, I tried to move my body beneath the soil. No good. I could only manage to get the dirt around my shoulders to move a bit. Luckily my neck didn't end up underneath the mud when this all happened. I'd go crazy his I couldn't move my head around.

And where the fuck is Hige? That runt ran off some time ago, looking for someone to help out this hole.

Okay, I really don't need any help getting free. I just needed… I used more force to try and wiggle my body around. "Ahh!" A long groan escaped my lips. This is pathetic. It's a good thing there was nobody else to see me around. Not that there were many that could recognized me anyway. When I fell fully into the mud pit, I was submerged to the very top of my head with barely enough time to poke it back out before to mud magically solidified enough that I couldn't get out. My whole head was coated nicely in an even layer of mud. The only different color was the white of my eyes and deep amber of my irises.

Honestly, I was starting to get irritated. I was hungry and trapped in a stupid fucking hole. And it was my fault. If that didn't dampen someone's mode I don't know what does.

Taking a deep breath through my nose, I closed my eyes. Hige was not far away. And it seems he did meet up with that strange, but curious mix of demonic and spiritual aura. Now, as they got closer to me, the breeze carried their scent. Interesting. It seemed that it was a group of travelers. That made sense. It smelled of the spiritual aura of a miko and a monk, as well as two demons, both much weaker than myself might I add, and… my eyes narrowed. An inuyoukai? The scent of a foreign inuyoukai had not graced my nose for many years now but it was unmistakable. However, this scent was off… it was a half-breed. How interesting…

However strange they are, Hige must have sensed something that led him to believe they were safe and would possibly help me out of my predicament. But there was something else there within the strange travel group. Hmmm… it seemed this group had shards of the Shikon Jewel. Would they know of the one I had hidden within the folds of my kimono?

Perhaps it was wiser not to wait for them to arrive and just free myself. It'd be easy enough. I just needed turn into my true form, but that'd leave a huge crater in the ground and probably draw unwanted attention from the hiding eyes of the forest from noise alone. With the added release of my youki… demons may sense that I was unmated and I do not need _that_ right now. How fucking troublesome.

Before I had much more time to wonder about the topic at hand, to run or not to run, Hige and the travelers were upon me.

One of the women of the group, the miko, was mounted upon a pink contraption unlike any I had seen. She was dressed most oddly and in the basket attached to her contraption was a small kistune and neko. Arriving next to her was a normal woman with a huge ass boomerang on her back and a monk. Trailing behind Hige was the half dog demon that I smelled. They came to stop behind my furry friend and watched him as he trotted directed in front of me. Hige stopped his fuzzy but and sat once more in front of my face like the first time this morning and yipped at me, a smile stretching his lips. I brought you back help like you said too, he seemed to communicate.

My eyes trailed over the travelers. Their eyes were all on my mud encrusted face and seemed confused.

"Well that's where the jewel shard is coming from…" The miko on the pink contraption had sounded more confused than sure.

"A head in the ground?" The small kitsune questioned out loud, leaning over the basket he sat in trying to get a better look.

"Hey!" I shouted back, causing all but the half-demon to flinch, "I'm more than just a head in the ground! I've got a neck and shoulder tops too!" That kid didn't seriously think I was just a head that lived in the ground, did he? "And- and I also – ugh," I struggled to move the rest of my body, "have a whole body beneath this dirt. So help me out, will ya?" My eyes scanned over them once more. Before anyone could react, the hanyou stepped forward and kneeled down.

"Hey are you the one with the jewel shard?" His arrogant voice rang though the small clearing, almost annoyed. His hands rested on his hips and I quickly decided that he was irritating. Like he had anything to be bothered about, I'm the one stuck in the ground!

I stared at is yellow eyes, much lighter than the ones of my clan. There were a sure sign that he was the descendant of an inuyoukai. To add, he had long sliver hair, most abnormal for anyone who was of human heritage. His hair color must have been the common color for whatever inuyoukai clan his parent came from.

I was unsure if he could tell I was also an inuyoukai, or even a demon at all. First, I was cover in mud and that help hid the scent of anything better. Second, I travelled with my youki sealed so other demons could not sense me, saving myself from unwanted trouble. If my eyes didn't give it away, I also had the upside down yellow crescent moon on my forehead that revealed which clan I hailed from. Though, this hanyou could not see that with the mud covering my face. The upside down crescent moon was the only marking my face held and it was hidden from view, but my fangs were most certainly visible jutting from my mouth.

"Inuyasha, don't be so rude!" The miko yelled out. "She needs help!"

If this 'Inuyasha' could tell I was a demoness he clearly didn't show it. Or he didn't care.

"I'm just asking if she has the jewel shard!" He yelled back at her. "Jeez Kagome, remember why we followed in the first place! Lay off me!"

"Tsk, tsk, Inuyasha," The monk scolded his companion and stepped forward, one hand wrapped around his staff and the other held in a prayer motion in front of his chest. "This woman needs our help." As he stepped forward he came to stop beside Inuyasha. "Tell me, my lady, how did you end up buried beneath the ground?"

"Yeah," The kitsune yelled out and jumped from the basket and landed atop Inuyasha's head, which was only a couple of feet away from mine. "How'd you get down there?"

Inwardly, I huffed and tried not to lash out. My patience was wearing thin. It was clear Hige's judgement was correct. These people, no matter how strange they were, are going to help me out.

But they also knew I had a jewel shard. How they knew I wasn't sure. But I did no one thing. Every creature that had sought me out for the shard did not want it for pure intentions. I had found the strange object embedded in a tree months ago. It seemed that weaker demons were attracted to the power it radiated. Somehow it was important, so instead of tossing it away I kept it close and hidden. I had no desire for it. Whatever it could do for me was not appealing, as I was strong enough for my own purpose. I was curious though. So it stayed in the folds of my kimono.

I stared back at the little kitsune. He sure was a cutie. His wide eyes met mine, "I'll tell you," I started, "If you help me out~" I ended my sentence in a sing song voice and hoped these people would feel compelled to help this seemingly poor woman out of her muddy entrapment as quick as possible. Now that they knew I was here and figured I had a jewel shard I was pretty certain that they weren't going to leave. The quicker I was out of this hole, the better. Then maybe I could find out what they knew about this strange jewel shard.

"Of course we'll help you." Kagome dismounted her pink contraption. "Right Inuyasha?" Her stared pointedly with chocolate eyes at the hanyou. He twitched and crossed his arms over his chest, the kitsune still sitting on his head.

"What? Hell no Kagome, I'm only here to find that jewel shard!" Inuyasha glared at Kagome but she just returned his heated gaze. Hige barked once and jumped to circle Inuyasha and nipped his heels. "HEY!" He started to fall forward but caught himself easily. "I've had just about enough of that!" He yelled. The kitsune jumped from his head and landed next to the monk. He lunged at Hige, but he just playfully leapt away, barking happily. He loved anyone that played with him. Though Inuyasha was not playing, Hige didn't see it that way. Inuyasha began chasing Hige around.

Oh c'mon, I feel like they were forgetting about the lady stuck in the ground.

"Hello!" I shouted at Hige and Inuyasha, "Get me out of this damn hole!" They just ignored me. I stared up at the monk, who was kneeling down by my face.

"Sorry about Inuyasha, he's got a short temper." I glared at him. He was way too close to my face. Encouraged by my irritability, I seriously considered spewing my acid breath on him right now. Lucky for him, the other woman of the group caught the back of his clothing and dragged him backwards.

"Okay Monk," Frustration and annoyance laced her voice and her eyes were hard. "Step away from the woman's face."

Okay, this is taking way too long. I let out a great sigh.

"I know you're here for the jewel shard," I pointedly began. Inuyasha stopped chasing Hige and all eyes were on me. Time to get this over with. My limbs were on fire, wanting to move badly. "Yes I do have one. Perhaps we could discuss it once you've pulled me from the ground?" Wow, if I had known that was all I needed to say it would have been my opening line. Almost immediately, Inuyasha hopped forwards, squatted down and gripped the tops of my shoulders. It was painful and it claws that were similar to mine dug into my skin. With a great heave, Inuyasha freed me of my constricted dirt hole.

Then he promptly dropped me on my ass. What a fucking asshole! That is NOT how you treat a lady.

"Okay, I got you out of that dumb hole, now give me the shard!" He held his hand out expectantly in front of my face. Oh hell no. First you are annoying and next you are rude? Naaw, I think I'll just wait this one out.

I sprung to me feet and looked at him. Inuyasha also stood. He was only a little taller than me. And standing to close. I began stretching my arms and rolling my shoulders, grateful to be free. Stepping back, I glanced down, surveying my dirty body. Since the dirt hole was still damp below the surface the dirt that covered me was actually still mud. Disgusting… I was such a mess. Even my katana that was kept close to my side was covered completely in mud.

I looked at Inuyasha. "I don't know," I lifted my arms above my head and leaned to the right, continuing my stretches. "I think I need to go bathe first." Inuyasha left out a growl but it didn't matter to me. I knew that there was a river nearby and I figured I'd head straight there. "Meet me at the river!"

Leaping in the air, my quick demon abilities, I darted away. "C'mon Hige!"

I'll find out what they know about the jewel later. After I was clean.

* * *

**Don't forget to review and tell me what you think!~ =)**


End file.
